New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-19
Episcopal churches In Brooklyn and most the congre
CATION are believed 10 favor calling DR.. bradley.
THE STAGE MECHANISM OF"FAUSE"
MR. LovEDAY TALKS ABOUT THE SETTINGS AND
THE FORCES BEHIND Tile sCENEs.

THE FORCES BEHIND THE SCENES.
The spectacular success of Mr. Irvings prcsenta-
ton OF Faust is not due so much any absolute
novelty in stage devices the skfu and generous
employment of those long known" This what
N J. Loveday, the clever and modest stage manager.
SAID when asked to explain of the striking
chectS Probably the newest thing is the flashing
sword see that some has printed story that
Mephlsophces' takes his stand on a met al plate, by
which the current is communicated. lie has saddled
the wrong horse. 1t IS tho other whose sword
'McphlSophcleS' strikes up who stands on the plate
" Is there any danger Of shock!"
None at all We have played the piece for over
800 nights and there has been accident, any
more than there has with the fires upon or
through the stage. | have heard that some CORE
spondens of American papers sent reports that one
OF the actors had been almost parayzed by escape
OF the electric ud but assure you there moth ne
In 1t.
Not much could he done for us before arrived.
and as VIC had only week before the opening, you
may Imagine We were pretty we'll rushed. The cellar
under the stage had to be cXcayatcd several feet
We sink three scenes and they have 60 down about
twcnty-three feet. Then needed great number of
traps large and small, and down the proscenum
calcium galleries built when We got here
took out the gas-battens border lights and put I'm
electric ones These we use only in the light scenes.
All our half light and dark III by caciums
having different mediums colorcd plates before
thcm.'
You must use great number Of calclums?,
Yes, more than in any other production. and Mr.
Irving has always been for his liberal use Of
them. We have nearly forty. | don't mean that
they are all going at once. bu have to have that
number, could move them from place to
place In time TO get the effects needed. II has
been said that a magic lantern for some Of the
visions. That IS not There Is not a magic lantern
or anything like one among our properties. Tho Wis
ions tranSparences which become visible when
strong light IS applied behind them. In some, real
figures used in the foreground and 1t Is pretty
difficult to distinguish where flesh and blood ends and
painting begins
You footlichts very lltclr
Only In the light The Brockcn scene Is
Of course, tho most solid piece of construction Besides
the big rock and its approaches, which literally
almost rs firm "a rock there l. an inclined plane
which extends from about the first to the fourth
grooves there 1t sinks and the back.
The drops or backnss of this scene changed fire.
qucntly during the OF the action but this IS
done nosclcssiy and lnvisIb,y thar only the effect
is observe" and the eye, OF the audience are not al
tracted while the changes being made. Al the end
Of that act there nearly hundred people on Tie
scene There arc forty three In the chorus alone"
The drilling Of them must have taken n long tmcl"
''Iu London II affair of W. h. of ha'l work.
but brought nearly all the people with us and the
few we added her, were soon broken in"
How do you manage 10 get The different lights 10
strike the faces Of the principals, and particularly
Mr lrvfns'-, with such certainty"
WELL that l. matter Of shll and practice. We
brought chief calcium men with IL, and they lat
a mark a. surely expert nncman would II
there any wagering of the llsht the effect would
be almost ruined. know that j. often seen on the
stage but b. avoided lk" most other faults b.
the expenditure OF tme and care"
kindly explain how that quick change j. maj"
In the inst act from the Witches Kitchen To The
bi. cathedral scene"
That again Is only the -kilful employment of or
binary means. II l. not what 1, technically known
a trick scene. \ great deal Of the stun In the
Kitchen L. sunk through irap- and thrn the scene -
shifted and The new piece ~uD- ttufrd bS double
force Of men. They certainly do work win ~
tra,rdiudIy qulcknc,s. Each man know cIacuy "hii
part of tie scenery he has To handle and where u La
To 60 Counting al, carpenters, ny mon, ga cal 'iun
and property men. nearly one hundred hand, Aro
employed IL making that change"
inl the { aih,dral In the third act y
That L. not rally a change Of scene. though u La.
all the effect of one. 90 IN FRONT and Doe deceived
hv II myecf II f. altogether done with lights. lou
word think that the scene had been trars fcrrcl from
ulv 10 tho interior and then back again but
not a biz Of scenery OyCi Probably That j. about
tho illusion produce. We could not, OF course
have got all these things ready In time bal we NOT
brought cvcryihine with n. even our electric pii
trrirs and tho engine Which supplies the CLOUDS
Of steam employed In -oro Of the scenes.